Dr. Jalal Afshar for control of Icerya purchasi Maskell, 1879 (Hemiptera:
Margarodidae). Since then, successful rearing and release of Trissolcus semistriatus
Nees, 1834 (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) against Sunn pest, Eurygaster integriceps
Puton, 1881 (Hemiptera: Scutelleridae) was the most significant efforts for decades
(Abiverdi 2001). In current years, Farmers Field School (FFS) approach, which was
set up preliminary as a part of the pistachio IPM project in 1999, obviously has been
influenced on using various natural enemies on different crops in the country; as
studies indicate that farmers who participated in FFS have more tendencies toward
biological control and using it than others (Heidari et al. 2011; Moumeni-Helali and
Ahmadpour 2013).
According to being new entomopathogenic nematology in Iran, we couldn’t find
any documentation about the application of EPNs in IPM projects in the fields and
most studies were done at the laboratory to investigate the pathogenicity of EPNs on
a certain pest. But, there is a report about field application of an entomoparasitic
nematode, Romanomermis culicivorax (Mermithidae: Nematoda), in controlling of
anopheline larvae in southern Iran (Zaim et al. 1998).
12.3 An Outline of Studies on Entomopathogenic/
Entomoparasitic Nematodes in Iranian Research
Centers
Among entomopathogens, EPNs in the families Steinernematidae and
Heterorhabditidae have traits that make them suitable for using against different
insect pests in above and below ground as well those with cryptic habitats. During
the last three decades, many studies have done for possible control of pest by EPNs,
which showed either their successes or failures. These biocontrol agents can potentially be used within an IPM project/sustainable agriculture because of some specific
criteria including recycling and persistence of some EPNs species in the environment; possible effects, direct and/or indirect, on plant parasitic nematodes and plant
pathogens populations; indirect role in improving soil quality; and compatibility
with a wide range of chemical and biological pesticides used in IPM programs
(Lacey and Georgis 2012). Currently, more than 90 species of both families are
described with several unknown species which among them at least 11 species are
commercially formulated and available for large-scale applications. While
Steinernematidae and Heterorhabditidae consider historically as EPNs, in recent
years, another group of nematodes from the family Rhabditidae including Oscheius
chongmingensis (Zhang, Liu, Xu, Sun, Yang, An, Gao, Lin, Lai, He, Wu & Zhan)
Ye, Torres-Barragan & Cardoza 2010, Oscheius carolinensis Ye, Torres–Barragan
& Cardoza 2010, Heterorhabditidoides rugaoensis Zhang, Liu, Tan, Wang, Qiao,
Yedid, Dai, Qiu, Yan, Tan, Su, Lai, & Gao, 2012 and Caenorhabditis briggsae
Gochnauer & McCoy have reported as entomopathogen (Kaya et al. 2006; Dillman
et al. 2012; Lewis and Clarke 2012; Zhang et al. 2012). Another remarkable
12 Entomopathogenic and Insect Parasitic Nematodes
483
Margarodidae). Since then, successful rearing and release of Trissolcus semistriatus
Nees, 1834 (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) against Sunn pest, Eurygaster integriceps
Puton, 1881 (Hemiptera: Scutelleridae) was the most significant efforts for decades
(Abiverdi 2001). In current years, Farmers Field School (FFS) approach, which was
set up preliminary as a part of the pistachio IPM project in 1999, obviously has been
influenced on using various natural enemies on different crops in the country; as
studies indicate that farmers who participated in FFS have more tendencies toward
biological control and using it than others (Heidari et al. 2011; Moumeni-Helali and
Ahmadpour 2013).
According to being new entomopathogenic nematology in Iran, we couldn’t find
any documentation about the application of EPNs in IPM projects in the fields and
most studies were done at the laboratory to investigate the pathogenicity of EPNs on
a certain pest. But, there is a report about field application of an entomoparasitic
nematode, Romanomermis culicivorax (Mermithidae: Nematoda), in controlling of
anopheline larvae in southern Iran (Zaim et al. 1998).
12.3 An Outline of Studies on Entomopathogenic/
Entomoparasitic Nematodes in Iranian Research
Centers
Among entomopathogens, EPNs in the families Steinernematidae and
Heterorhabditidae have traits that make them suitable for using against different
insect pests in above and below ground as well those with cryptic habitats. During
the last three decades, many studies have done for possible control of pest by EPNs,
which showed either their successes or failures. These biocontrol agents can potentially be used within an IPM project/sustainable agriculture because of some specific
criteria including recycling and persistence of some EPNs species in the environment; possible effects, direct and/or indirect, on plant parasitic nematodes and plant
pathogens populations; indirect role in improving soil quality; and compatibility
with a wide range of chemical and biological pesticides used in IPM programs
(Lacey and Georgis 2012). Currently, more than 90 species of both families are
described with several unknown species which among them at least 11 species are
commercially formulated and available for large-scale applications. While
Steinernematidae and Heterorhabditidae consider historically as EPNs, in recent
years, another group of nematodes from the family Rhabditidae including Oscheius
chongmingensis (Zhang, Liu, Xu, Sun, Yang, An, Gao, Lin, Lai, He, Wu & Zhan)
Ye, Torres-Barragan & Cardoza 2010, Oscheius carolinensis Ye, Torres–Barragan
& Cardoza 2010, Heterorhabditidoides rugaoensis Zhang, Liu, Tan, Wang, Qiao,
Yedid, Dai, Qiu, Yan, Tan, Su, Lai, & Gao, 2012 and Caenorhabditis briggsae
Gochnauer & McCoy have reported as entomopathogen (Kaya et al. 2006; Dillman
et al. 2012; Lewis and Clarke 2012; Zhang et al. 2012). Another remarkable
12 Entomopathogenic and Insect Parasitic Nematodes
483